Herndon: Comic and Heartfelt

One woman’s journey to motherhood at NextStop Theatre.

With plenty of wide-eyed sparkle based upon her own journey to motherhood, Ginna Hoben will be featured in the world premiere of “No Spring Chicken.” The show is Hoben’s own witty take on her tribulations, both private and public, of having a baby after 35. Her aim is to bring knowing smiles to both women and men in the audience.

“No Spring Chicken” is NextStop’s contribution to the D.C. area’s Women’s Voices Theatre Festival. The festival highlights new plays written by women. “NextStop has always prided itself on creating a diverse season in every way possible. From the topics and genres that we cover to the voices and perspectives that we present,” said Evan Hoffmann, NextStop artistic director.

Hoben’s play began with blog entries “about always wanting children and then facing a world pregnant at a late age.” It was a time when her pregnancy and motherhood hopes could be easily crushed since she “had a late start.” And some had different opinions about her having a child after 35.

Asked about other inspirations for “No Spring Chicken,” Hoben was quick to mention a Chinese fortune cookie slip. It read; ”Be patient, in time even an egg will walk” and appeared just as Hoben and her husband began to contemplate becoming parents.

As the character in the play may well be heard to say, “know that no matter how sick I've been or will be, something wonderful is to come of this special and personal secret I’ve been keeping…And so, I announce my pregnancy on Facebook. Yes, if you could all please stop what you are doing and make a big deal out of what is arguably the most common thing in history, but is finally happening to me that would be great.”

“No Spring Chicken” expresses how Hoben felt during her journey to motherhood. After all, don’t parents-to-be consider “getting to the hospital on time or worry about giving birth in the car?”

And there is this invented Hoben word; “Pregligent. P-r-e-g-l-i-g-e-n-t. An adjective. A pregnant woman's failure to do the things that doctors, society, and the internet tell her to do.”

The 75-minute intermission-free production director is Sullivan (Sully) White, known for her new play development at the renowned Actors Theatre of Louisville. Oh, and the title “No Spring Chicken,” well, it is Hoben’s sense of herself not being so young in chronological years on her journey to motherhood.